


It's a tragedy

by JJ_Smith



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Character Death, Death, M/M, Sad Derek, Scerek Week, don't read this if you don't like sad things, hurt and no comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-05-04
Packaged: 2018-03-29 02:02:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3878182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JJ_Smith/pseuds/JJ_Smith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek's life is finally looking up. He has a godson and an amazing boyfriend (hopefully soon fiancé). Of course his luck cannot be this good for long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a tragedy

**Author's Note:**

> I'd apologize for making Derek so sad, but I'm not really sorry.  
> Happy second day of Scerek week! It's past midnight where I live so I'm just going to post it.

It’s not fair. Nothing in Derek’s life has been fair, but this is without a doubt the worst thing that’s ever happened to him. Just twentyfour hours ago he was the happiest man alive; celebrating the birth of the first pack baby and discussing marriage with his boyfriend. He’d been happy when Erica asked him to be her son’s godfather. He’d been filled with joy when Scott took his hand and pulled him out of his seat to dance. The entire pack joined them soon and they were all happy and carefree. His luck finally seemed to have turned for the better, but of course it can’t last.

Just twentyfour hours and his entire life changes. It’s not fair at all.

They weren’t prepared, it had been quiet in Beacon Hills for years now. He no longer had alarms on the loft, and the pack was still sleeping when the hunters came.

It was a bloodbath, the pack risking everything to protect the small baby that was wailing in his crib. They were winning, and injuries were minor on their end. Then it happened. One shot. One second and it’s all taken away.

Time seems to slow down as Scott sinks to his knees in front of Derek. No one else notices Derek’s entire world dying until it’s too late, until the hunters have been beaten. The euphoria the pack feels dies out quietly when they see Derek on the floor; Scott in his arms.

Blood is soaking the shirt Scott had stolen from Derek yesterday morning with a playful grin. A red circle expanding from his heart, where the wolfsbane bullet entered him. There’s no use for antidotes, the poison came in through his heart, killing him almost instantly.

The room is silent, no one makes a sound until Stiles falls down to his knees in front of Derek, wailing Scott’s name as he clutches desperately at his best friend’s hand. Derek can hear Isaac beginning to whimper over in a corner. Allison’s gasping for breath. Lydia begins to scream. The pack is slowly breaking down. Derek can even hear Boyd begin to sob. He can’t look up to the pack, he only has eyes for Scott.

A small trickle of blood comes out of his mouth, his eyes staring blindly up at the ceiling. It’s hard to believe Derek kissed those lips mere hours ago, that those eyes looked at their godson with adoration. There’s an emptiness inside Derek, it’s a feeling he hasn’t had since he lost his family. It’s like there’s a dark hole where his heart used to be that’s sucking up all his emotions.

With a shaking hand Derek reaches out to wipe away the blood from Scott’s face and close his eyes. “He’s dead,” Derek says with finality. There’s nothing any of them can do now. Scott’s gone from this world, and he’s taken their sunshine with him.

The worst part comes an hour later, after the sheriff has been called and Melissa comes with him. The pain on her face is what finally makes Derek break down in sobs. Their Scott is gone now, forever.

Days go by. The only thing that keeps the pack going is Erica’s baby. They all stay in the loft, only leaving the building to get groceries. Little Shane is never without someone to hold him. Derek spends his night’s by his bedside, watching the little boy sleep. Scott had been so happy with Shane; Derek can’t leave his side. It’s the only way he feels close to Scott, like he hasn’t died for nothing.

Days turn to weeks; weeks turn to months. Liam’s the first to go back home. Lydia follows not long after him. Slowly, but surely everyone leaves. Even Erica and Boyd go after six months, leaving Derek all alone.

Things go reasonably well for about a week. Derek gets back into his rhythm of life before Scott died. He goes for a run in the morning and eats healthy. He’s even writing again, after months without writing a single word. His editor is ecstatic that Derek’s finally finishing up his book. He’s writing more than ever, and finishes his rough draft in a week. When he submits it to his editor, Derek looks up to tell Scott. He’s opened his mouth by the time he realizes that Scott’s not around to hear it. The loss of Scott hits him all over again.

The next morning, when he comes back from his run, he mistakes some clothes in a chair for Scott for a second. The evening, he accidentally knocks over Scott’s guitar. Derek calls out an apology, before remembering there’s no one left to apologize to. When the sound of his voice dies out, the loft seems to be even emptier and colder than it has in the last months. That night Derek’s plagued by dreams of Scott. After two more rude reminders that Scott’s gone, Derek has had enough of it.

“You’ve been dead long enough,” he says. “I’m getting you back.” If Peter could do it, so can Scott. Scott deserves it so much more.

Derek makes the mistake of asking his uncle for help in the matter. Peter simply laughs in his face.

“My dear nephew. I prepared for my return to life before I died. It’s the only way you can come back. Trust me, you’re better off moving on,” Peter says.

Derek’s not convinced, though. There has to be another way to bring Scott back. He’s sure of it. He dives in ever occult book he can get his hands on, desperate to find a way. Months of research later, Derek finds an answer for his problem. The anniversary of Scott’s death is coming up. It’s fate, he’s sure of it. He meant to find this. Now, all he needs is some help to open up a gate to the underworld.

For all the awesome things that werewolves can do, magic isn’t one unfortunately. He’d ask Deaton for help, but he’s almost completely sure that the man won’t approve of his project. That leaves him only one option; Stiles Stilinski.

Derek doesn’t get on too well with Stiles, but the one way to get Stiles to agree with anything; Derek’s famous burgers. Of course, Stiles also knows that Derek only pulls out this food when he needs something.

“What do you need?” Stiles asks that evening, as soon as Derek has given him his food.

Derek’s thought long and hard about how to best ask Stiles for help. In the end he decided to get straight to the point. “I need your help to get Scott  back.”

Stiles freezes. They haven’t talked about Scott in months, and it’s clear he hadn’t expected this. “You… what?”

“I’m going to bring him back,” Derek says. “I need your help to open a gate to the underworld.”

Stiles doesn’t say anything for several minutes, he simply stares at his food. “Do you think it’ll work,” he finally says.

Derek nods. “It has to. I’ll get him back.”

Stiles nods, not saying another word while he digs into his food. Derek stays just as silent as Stiles, eating his own burger. Truthfully, he has no idea if this is going to work, but he can’t not do it. He needs Scott back in his life. He’s tried moving on for long enough.

After dinner Derek explains the process to Stiles. He already has most of the ingredients for the spell, and he knows where to get the rest. The more Derek talks about the process, the more Stiles starts to believe they can do this.

“You’re sure I can do this? It’s a lot more difficult than making a circle out of mountain ash,” Stiles asks.

“Magic is all about believing in it. You believe in it, right?” Derek asks.

“I’ll believe in anything that can get me back my best friend. I’m getting married and he needs to be there,” Stiles says.

“Then it’ll work,” Derek says. “I’m taking a trip tomorrow to get the last of the ingredients. We should get Scott back by the weekend.”

“Just in time for Shane’s first birthday,” Stiles says with a soft smile.

Derek nods. This has to work.

Stiles comes over again on Thursday evening, and they spend all night preparing the spell. Derek has never seen Stiles this concentrated on a single task. By the time the sun begins to rise, they’re ready.

“We’re really doing this, aren’t we?” Stiles asks while he watches Derek pack the stuff they need.

“You’re only realizing that now?” Derek asks, raising an eyebrow.

Stiles rolls his eyes. “You’re so funny, Derek. Of course I knew, but it’s hitting me now that we’re really going to bring Scott back. Forgive me for not being as okay with all of this as you. Not all of us grew up with the supernatural,” Stiles snaps.

“There’s no need to snap at me like that,” Derek says. “I’m trying to get our Scott back, remember?”

“Yeah… let’s just get moving.”

Working with Stiles went pretty well until now. This is why him and Stiles aren’t great friends, Derek remembers. They clash too easily. Scott has always been what has brought them together.

“You can go to the car. I’ll be right there,” Derek says, hoping to avoid further argument. This is supposed to be a happy day, and he’s not going to let Stiles ruin it.

They don’t speak on the way to the lake, something Derek’s grateful for. They set up everything for the ritual. It isn’t until Stiles reads over the spell once more that he speaks to Derek again.

“Do you even know what to do when you get there?” he asks.

“Of course,” Derek lies. Truthfully, he has no idea what to do, but he’s not coming back without Scott.

“You sure, dude? Maybe I should go. Scott was my best friend,” Stiles says.

“And he was my boyfriend. You’re engaged, I have nothing. If something goes wrong, I have less to lose.”

“But…” Stiles starts.

“No. Just get started on the spell already,” Derek says sternly.

“Fine. But I’m going to tell Scott you were a grumpy sourwolf to me,” Stiles mutters.

Derek leans back against a tree while he watches Stiles work through the ritual. He lights the candles and recites the spell. The potion they spent all night preparing is poured into the lake, and then they wait.

“Did we do it wrong?” Stiles asks after a moment. “Shouldn’t something have happened by now?”

“Stay calm and give it some time,” Derek says, even though he himself is anything but calm. He’s been counting on this working.

They wait for fifteen minutes when something finally happens. A heavy mist begins rolling over the lake, coming towards them quickly.

“Is that what’s supposed to happen?” Stiles whispers.

“I have no idea,” Derek replies. He steps forward from his spot against the tree. When the mist reaches them Derek can just make out a dark figure approaching them. When the figure comes closer to them, Derek can make out more of it’s shape. The person is tall and lanky, dressed in a dark cloak. He’s on a small, rickety, wooden boat. The boat comes to a halt right before Derek and the person holds out a hand.

“The coins make sense now,” Derek says, while he reaches into his bag for two golden coins.

“What do you mean?” Stiles asks.

“That’s Charon, he brings the dead to the underworld. I need to pay him.” Derek drops the golden coins in Charon’s outstretched hands and steps into the boat. “I’ll be back soon,” he tells Stiles.

“Be careful in there,” Stiles calls after him.

As the sail back into the mist, Derek keeps his eyes on Stiles until finally he can no longer see him. He has no idea how long it takes before the boat comes to a stop again. It could be ten minutes or an hour. Charon never speaks a word, or makes any other sound for that matter. Derek can’t even hear him breathe.

When Derek steps off the boat, he can finally see around him, no longer surrounded by mist. He’s in a dark cave. Even though Derek can’t see any source of light, there’s a faint blue light showing him the way. He considers himself lucky that there’s only one road ahead. He follows the dark path between stone walls, goes around more corners than he can count, walks up steps and down them again. Every once in a while he passes something strange, he can’t really describe it. It’s like a shadow, only made of the faintest light. The more Derek focuses on them, the fainter the light seems to get.

As Derek walks further through the cave, the strange lightshadows become more frequent. Finally the cave widens into a big open space. The lightshadows have more shape here; Derek can make out what they are. They’re people, or they were once upon a time. Mere shadows of who they were on earth. Derek walks between them, looking at every face, searching for Scott. They’re all as silent as Charon was. When Derek makes it to the other side of the room, he freezes. He’s facing two dark thrones, both featuring a person much more human than the shadows.

“You don’t belong here,” the figure on the left speaks in a deep voice. His skin is greyish and he looks at Derek with piercing black eyes.

Derek gathers all his courage. “I’m looking for my love,” he states.

The woman on the right smiles kindly at him. She looks much more alive than anything in the room, even Derek himself. “You’ve gone through a lot of trouble to get here. He must mean a lot to you.”

Her words make Derek feel hopeful, but then the man on the left speaks again.

“I can’t just send the dead back. There’s a balance that must be kept. It was his time.”

Derek kneels before him, the wolf inside him protesting the sign of submissiveness. “Please, I’ll do anything to get him back,” he says.

“Dear, why can’t you give him a chance? It’s been so long since someone came here,” the woman says. She reaches for the man’s hand and strokes it softly. “It would please me greatly.”

The man stays silent for a long moment before he snaps his fingers. When Derek looks up his heart stops. Scott is standing before him. He looks the same as all the other shadows of people.

“He will follow as you return to earth, trust that he will. You cannot look back until you set foot in your world again. If you do, you will lose him forever.” the man speaks. “Go now, before I change my mind.”

Derek nods, as a loss for words. He takes one last look at Scott and turns around. Even though the shadows showed no expression, Derek swore he could see a trace of Scott’s smile. It brings him more joy than he has felt since Scott died.

The road back seems impossibly long, much longer than the road to find Scott. With every turn, Derek has to fight the urge to look if Scott’s still following. He has to trust in the man’s words. It must have been Hades, Derek tells himself, king of the underworld. He wonders how many men alive can say they’ve met Hades. The thought keeps him occupied for three corners and a set of steps.

Don’t look back, Derek repeats in his mind, don’t look back. He tries to listen for a sound that Scott is following, but the shadows make no sound. There’s no heartbeat, not a single breath, not even a footstep to indicate Derek isn’t alone.

_Don’t look back, don’t look back._

What if Hades lied, what if Scott isn’t there at all, but still in the large hall with all the other shadows?

_Don’t look back, don’t look back._

He trusts Scott. If Scott can follow him, he will. That’s what he has to keep in mind. Surely Scott wants to get back to his pack as badly as the pack wants him back.

Finally, after what seems like hours, Derek can see the mist again. Charon’s still waiting motionlessly in the small boat.

_Don’t look back, don’t look back._

He speeds up. He’s so close now, he can almost feel Scott’s hand in his.

_Don’t look back, don’t look back._

He’s reached the boat and Charon once again stretches out a hand.

_Don’t look back, don’t look back._

Derek gets two golden coins from his back and puts them in Charon’s hand.

_Don’t look back, don’t look back._

Charon doesn’t pull back. His other hand reaches out as well, pointing behind Derek. Derek turns around on reflex, realizing his mistake too late.

He gets one last look at the shadow that once was Scott. There’s a faint smile on his lips, Derek’s sure of it now.

“No!” he yells out, grasping for Scott’s hand. His fingers touch nothing as the light grows fainter. “Please, don’t go,” he begs.

It’s too late. Scott’s gone again.

When Derek turns back to Charon, the man has pocketed the two coins. Derek feels empty as he steps into the boat and they set off back to Derek’s world. Before long, Derek can begin making out Stiles’ figure waiting for him.

“Derek!” Stiles calls out.

Derek doesn’t have the energy to call back.

The smile on Stiles’ face fades when he sees that only Derek and Charon are in the boat.

“What happened? Why isn’t he with you?” Stiles asks.

Derek opens his mouth to speak, but no words come out.

“Derek, where’s Scott?” Stiles asks again, a hint of panic to his voice.

Derek shakes his head. “Gone,” he whispers. “I lost him again.” When he steps out of the boat, back on solid land; his knees give out and he falls down.

He doesn’t hear Stiles cry and beg Charon to take him to Scott. He doesn’t notice the mist disappearing along with Charon. All Derek feels is the emptiness inside him. A loneliness that he fears will never be filled again. He’s lost Scott again. For good.

 

 


End file.
